According to a Greg Sargent exclusive followed by a Peter Baker story, Rahm Emanuel asked Bill Clinton to approach Joe Sestak about not running in the Senate Democratic primary in Pennsylvania. Obama endorsed Arlen Specter and, according to Sargent:
The White House maintains that Clinton’s overtures to Sestak merely constituted an effort to gauge his seriousness about the race, the sources say, adding that Clinton was informally discussing the range of options open to Sestak as part of a larger conversation meant to ascertain Sestak’s thinking.
Word that the former president was involved in the matter takes it up a notch in terms of newsworthiness. Yes, it’s a Friday and the best day from a PR standpoint to drop negative news, but this new wrinkle means it may still have legs come Monday. Sargent says a formal statement from the Administration is expected later today.